December 18, 2007

DOD Nominee Gives Maliki Government An 'F'

The Bush administration's nominee to be assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs today gave the Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki an "F" for failing to meet key legislative benchmarks.

"At this time, I would give the Maliki government an 'F'," Mary Beth Long told the Senate Armed Services Committee during her confirmation hearing today. The nascent government has not performed in an "exemplary manner" to pass needed legislation, Long said. If confirmed, Long, who has served as the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security for the last two years, would become a top Pentagon adviser on the Middle East, Africa and NATO. She acknowledged the Iraqi government has not yet succeeded in passing de-Baathification legislation or approving hydrocarbon laws including an oil revenue sharing agreement, among other legislative goals.

Long's statements today echoed findings in a GAO report [PDF] released this fall that concluded that the Iraqi government had met only one of its eight legislative benchmarks: protecting the rights of minority political parties in the country's legislature. Over the next 90-120 days, the Iraqi government will focus on passing a budget and then turn to de-Baathification legislation, she added. Despite its failure to pass formal oil revenue-sharing legislation, Long noted that the government has pushed oil revenue out beyond Baghdad.

Meanwhile, 60,000 Iraqis across the country have formed "concerned local citizen" groups that have pledged to cooperate with U.S. and coalition forces. Those groups, she said, are working with local governments toward ending sectarian violence and achieving national reconciliation among Iraq's factions. During the hearing, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., expressed frustration with the Iraqi government's inability to enact legislation and meet other economic and security benchmarks.

"We're still sustaining loss of life as a consequence of the inaction of the central government," said Warner, the former chairman of the Senate committee.

Other nominees considered by the committee today include James Shinn to be assistant secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific security matters; Craig Duehring to be assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs; and John Gibson to be assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management. None of the nominees appeared to have any problems that might block their confirmation by the Senate.

-Megan Scully, CongressDaily

Posted at 5:29 PM
Posted to: Bush Administration, Iraq, Middle East
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